Dying Cannock man was refused treatment in holiday tragedy

A clubber who collapsed and died on holiday in Ibiza was refused emergency treatment by paramedics who demanded cash up front first, an inquest heard.

Chris Cooper, aged 26, from Cannock, had been in the holiday resort of San Antonio on the Spanish island for just 24 hours when a drink and drug-fuelled night out with a group of nine male friends ended in tragedy.

Paramedics demanded 180 euros, about £146, from the group before they agreed to treat him.

Friend Dan Speak told Cannock Coroner’s Court: “They were standing right there and we were screaming at them to help him but they needed 180 euros first. They didn’t even have the right equipment on them – the whole thing was a shambles.”

The coroner overseeing yesterday’s inquest said he would write to the Spanish Embassy for more information on why Mr Cooper was not immediately attended to – although he said he could not judge whether the delay made a difference.

Mr Cooper, a painter and decorator, of Albert Road, arrived in Ibiza on July 19. He consumed a large amount of alcohol, as well as one or more ecstasy tablets, the inquest heard.

The group returned to the Cervantes Hotel at around 5am and went to sleep.

Mr Speak, of Croydon Drive, in Penkridge, said when they woke his friend “didn’t look right”.

“He was in his bed and shaking,” Mr Speak said.

He said the group clubbed together to pay the paramedics.

Having examined toxicology reports, Dr Stephen George, consultant toxicologist at City Hospital in Birmingham, said the concentration of MDMA – more widely known as ecstasy – found in Mr Cooper’s urine was very high.

Coroner Andrew Haigh judged the official cause of death to be an excessive use of ecstasy tablets.